St Peter's church in Cradley Heath in the West Midlands is an example of a dissenters' church which was bought into the established church by an act of parliament. A group of dissenters known as the Independent Congregational Society built the church in 1789, however the church was bought into the Church of England in 1799 after the congregation ran out of money.
The church was built with a provision for a clock in it's tower, which was built in 1875, though one was never fitted due to a lack of funds. In 2021 the clock from the demolished church of St Luke elsewhere in Cradley Heath was fitted into St Peter, finally giving the church it's clock! (The photos below are from before the clock was fitted.) The church was extended in 1933 to accommodate a larger choir.
